CBS Begins Its Prime-Time Reshuffle

In the first round of major prime-time reshuffling this season, CBS on Thursday canceled one of its new fall shows, “The Law and Harry McGraw,” and said it will add two new programs and the returning “Simon & Simon” to its lineup.

“Simon & Simon,” renewed last spring despite its failure to win a spot on the fall schedule, will begin its seventh season Thursday, Dec. 3, at 9 p.m. Back as the brothers who work as private detectives will be Jameson Parker and Gerald McRaney.

“High Mountain Rangers,” a new action-adventure show starring Robert Conrad, and “48 Hours,” a series from CBS News that will be anchored by Dan Rather, will join the CBS schedule in January, CBS Entertainment President Kim LeMasters said.

“The Law and Harry McGraw,” starring Jerry Orbach as a Boston private eye and Barbara Babcock as a patrician criminal lawyer, will have its final broadcast Dec. 22, the network said. CBS had already canceled two other first-year series this season: the private-eye show “Leg Work” and the comedy “Everything’s Relative.”

“High Mountain Rangers” will premiere Jan. 2 at 8 p.m. Filmed in the Sierra Nevada, the series stars Conrad and his sons, Christian and Shane, as members of an elite unit of mountain rangers.

Installments of “48 Hours,” which debuts Jan. 19 at 8 p.m., will be shot during 48-hour periods and will explore contemporary issues.

CBS, running third in the prime-time ratings so far this season, said it also will move five shows to new time periods.

“Frank’s Place” and “Kate & Allie” will trade time slots on Monday nights, beginning Dec. 7, with “Kate & Allie” starting the evening at 8, followed by “Frank’s Place” at 8:30.

“Cagney & Lacey” moves from 10 p.m. Mondays to 10 p.m. Tuesdays on Jan. 5; its Monday position will be filled as of Jan. 4 by “Wiseguy,” which is moving from 9 p.m. Thursdays, the spot being given to “Simon & Simon.”

“Houston Knights,” currently seen Tuesdays at 8 p.m., will move to Saturdays at 9 p.m. beginning Jan 2.

“Simon & Simon” ranked 68th out of 104 prime-time network series with a 20% share of the audience at the end of last season.